This invention relates to an improved ball joint link that is unusually light in weight and inexpensive to manufacture, and to a method for forming such a link.
Molding techniques in the past have been used in the fabrication of various ball joint components. For example, Duncan U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,495 teaches a method for molding a ball around a stud to form a ball stud.
Sinclair U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,860 discloses an all plastic rod end in which opposed raceways are mated to form a socket around a ball. The raceways are then over-molded to complete fabrication of the rod end.
Memory U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,669 discloses a plastic universal bearing which is molded in place in a link. In this case, the plastic that forms the socket of the ball joint is integral with the plastic that forms the center section of the link.